British and Irish Lions

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s British and Irish Lions news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Give Lions tours more time pleads Warren Gatland

8 August 2021 1 comment

WARREN Gatland shrugged off the despair of a heartbreaking series loss to South Africa to demand the Lions be given more preparation time if they […]

Verdict: Two tries in three Tests don’t win Lions tours

8 August 2021 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher picks apart how the Lions lost the third Test, after leading at half-time

South Africa 19-16 Lions: Lions let their chances slip along with this troubled series

8 August 2021 0 comments

THIS was a series that the 2021 Lions let slip at the last. The spike that they became hooked on was not so much the […]

Battle-weary Springboks are one of great modern sides | Daniel Gallan

8 August 2021 1 comment

Daniel Gallan wraps up the meaning of the Springboks to South Africa after their triumph in the third Test

‘Let’s put World Rugby on trial’ – Sharks owner ready to aid Rassie’s legal fight

4 August 2021 0 comments

One of the heads of MVM Holdings, the US firm that owns the Sharks, has offered legal aid to the Springboks director of rugby

Disciplinary panel dismisses biting charge against Lions prop Kyle Sinckler

3 August 2021 0 comments

Sinckler had been alleged to have bitten Springboks lock Franco Mostert in the second half of the second Test

TEAM: Spingboks without Faf de Klerk and Pieter-Steph du Toit for decider

3 August 2021 1 comment

South Africa call on Cobus Reinach and Lood de Jager to fill void of losing two of their star players

TEAM: Warren Gatland drops seven Lions players for third Test decider

3 August 2021 0 comments

A big shake-up in selection by Lions head coach Warren Gatland

Verdict: Waterboy Rassie Erasmus can’t gloss over this

1 August 2021 0 comments

Brendan Gallagher’s view on the second Test and how the signs were there from the off that Rassie’s video had an effect

South Africa 27-9 Lions: Lions must break free from tactical straightjacket

1 August 2021 1 comment

Nick Cain’s report on the second Test which saw the Springboks bring the series level

Player ratings – second Test: Siya Kolisi is the Boks’ captain marvel

1 August 2021 0 comments

Paul Rees rates the performances of the Lions and South Africa in a brutal second Test

Lood de Jager turned game back South Africa’s way | Daniel Gallan

1 August 2021 0 comments

Daniel Gallan’s verdict on the Springboks display in the second Test as they surged ahead of the Lions in the second half

Springboks captain Siya Kolisi backs Rassie Erasmus’ comments and condemns referee

30 July 2021 0 comments

South Africa skipper Siya Kolisi and backs coach Mzwandile Stick spoke to the media on Friday after an inflammatory 24 hours concerning the Lions tour

Rugby Australia slam Rassie Erasmus for flagrant criticism of referee Nic Berry

30 July 2021 1 comment

Has Erasmus’ antics heaped pressure on second Test referee Ben O’Keefe?

VIDEO: Rassie Erasmus releases explosive hour-long video criticising referee Nic Berry

29 July 2021 0 comments

The South Africa director of rugby posts bizarre video publicly looking back at the first Test against the Lions

Lions series: Jasper Wiese in at No.8 for Springboks

27 July 2021 0 comments

The Springboks have named their team for the second Test against the Lions

Lions criticised for inclusion of Dan Biggar for second Test

27 July 2021 0 comments

Fly-half Dan Biggar has been selected to start for the Lions days after failing a HIA in the first Test

Warren Gatland makes three changes to the Lions for second Test

27 July 2021 0 comments

Conor Murray, Chris Harris and Mako Vunipola all come in to start for the British & Irish Lions

South Africa 17-22 Lions: Long arm of the Lawes grabs Lions first prize

25 July 2021 3 comments

Nick Cain’s match report on a victorious start to the Test series for the British & Irish Lions, thanks in no small part to the work of Courtney Lawes

First Test player ratings: Itoje and Lawes stole the show

25 July 2021 1 comment

Paul Rees rates the performances from the first Test in Cape Town

Gatland’s Lions get ready for Bok-lash

25 July 2021 0 comments

The thoughts of Warren Gatland, Alun Wyn Jones, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes and Siya Kolisi after the first Test

Marcus Smith Lions cap ceremony had family attend via Zoom

25 July 2021 0 comments

Lions bosses didn’t want Marcus Smith to miss out on his family not being there to see Jason Leonard hand him his cap

‘I got lucky’ – Springbok De Allende makes admission about firepit explosion

21 July 2021 1 comment

Damian de Allende was one of four Munster players who received medical attention for burns from a firepit accident in June

Luke Cowan-Dickie and Courtney Lawes start for Lions in first Test

21 July 2021 0 comments

Head coach Warren Gatland reveals the selection was the hardest of his time with the Lions

All three Lions Tests to be held at Cape Town Stadium

20 July 2021 1 comment

The second and third Tests were set to take place in Johannesburg, based in the province with the highest coronavirus infection rate in South Africa

Kolisi cleared to lead the Springboks, Pollard to reach milestone against Lions

20 July 2021 0 comments

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi has struggled for fitness after overcoming Covid-19

Marcus Smith puts his name on Gatland’s list

18 July 2021 0 comments

The Premiership winner starred on debut for the Lions

Warhorse Alun Wyn Jones books his Test spot

18 July 2021 0 comments

Alun Wyn Jones came off the bench against the Stormers to mark a 21-day turnaround from he feared a dislocated shoulder had ended his Lions dream

The Springboks are a beacon of hope in a tormented country

18 July 2021 0 comments

South African writer Daniel Gallan offers a personal view of what the Springboks mean to an economic and politically unstable country

Sam Simmonds is on a high with Lions after Twickenham pain

18 July 2021 2 comments

The Exeter Chiefs star has channelled Premiership final defeat into positivity on tour with the British & Irish Lions

Emily Scarratt joins call for women’s British & Irish Lions team

18 July 2021 0 comments

The England vice-captain believes a women’s Lions tour is the ideal way of growing the game beyond the World Cup and Six Nations

Smit: ‘Gigantic’ series will leave its legacy

18 July 2021 1 comment

The victorious Springboks captain 12 years ago says he is just glad this year’s tour is going ahead

Stormers 3-49 Lions: Yes, signs are positive but Lions had it easy again

18 July 2021 0 comments

How the Lions performed against the Stormers and Nick Cain’s team for the first Test

Something’s brewing for Jamie George and Elliot Daly

18 July 2021 0 comments

ENGLAND stars Jamie George and Elliot Daly have become the go-to guys for their barista service in the Lions camp. The pair have kept the […]

Springboks plan early mayhem against the Lions

17 July 2021 0 comments

Daniel Gallan looks at South Africa A’s win over the Lions on Wednesday night

Marcus Smith and Alun Wyn Jones to be involved for Lions, Hogg to captain

15 July 2021 1 comment

Warren Gatland has made a raft of changes to the Lions team that lost to South Africa ‘A’

Alun Wyn Jones cleared to travel to South Africa and link up with Lions squad

14 July 2021 2 comments

The tour captain is set to complete a remarkable turnaround from a dislocated shoulder and rejoin the Lions camp

Alun Wyn Jones could make shock return to Lions squad

13 July 2021 2 comments

Warren Gatland to make call on whether to have tour captain fly out to South Africa once Wales hold a training session on Tuesday

South Africa ‘A’ name team including 18 World Cup winners

13 July 2021 0 comments

Jacques Nienaber goes full metal jacket for Wednesday’s match against the Lions

Still no Robbie Henshaw for the Lions as team named to face South Africa ‘A’

12 July 2021 0 comments

Conor Murray to captain the Lions for the first time as a starter, as Gatland makes 12 changes to team that beat Sharks

Injury-hit Lions in SOS call to Marcus Smith

11 July 2021 1 comment

The England fly-half will fly to South Africa today to join up with the British & Irish Lions

Lions find themselves all at sea as Sharks circle

11 July 2021 0 comments

The Lions concede four first-half tries before being given a get out of jail free card when Jaden Hendrikse was red carded

Lions coach Gatland opts for Dan Biggar at No.10 for Sharks rematch

9 July 2021 0 comments

Dan Biggar will start for the British & Irish Lions this Saturday, as Warren Gatland‘s side play Cell C Sharks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. […]

Sharks 7-54 British & Irish Lions: Tries aplenty again for Duhan and Adams

8 July 2021 0 comments

Hat-tricks from Duhan van der Merwe and Josh Adams helped the British and Irish Lions to a 54-7 win over the Sharks at Ellis Park […]

B&I Lions boss discusses whether Test series could shift to UK venues

8 July 2021 2 comments

A bizarre Wednesday for the Lions squad to contend with, but they still beat the Sharks 54-7

Jet-heeled Josh Adams gives lift-off to the Lions

4 July 2021 0 comments

JOSH Adams bagged four tries as Warren Gatland’s British & Irish Lions got off to a flyer against Sigma Lions in Johannesburg – and there […]

South Africa 40-9 Georgia: Boks unleash flyer Fassi in warm-up win

4 July 2021 0 comments

IT TOOK a while, almost an hour in fact, for the Springbok machine to splutter into life but once it did, it steamrolled […]

Sigma Lions 14-56 Lions: ‘Warrenball’ no more as fluid Lions show flair

4 July 2021 0 comments

A RUNAWAY victory against markedly inferior opposition usually offers little value, but for Warren Gatland’s Lions every match in the build-up to the Test series […]